Bending machine



Feb. 6, 1940.

O. R. OWENS BENDING MACHINE Filed April 29, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z5 i I Ii Il |II Patented Feb. 6, 1940 uNnEosmTss N raisiny 011mg,

lOrville Owens, Chicago, Ill. "Application April 29, 1937, Serial No; 139,764

comms. `(Cl. 14a-,256)` l. l. nu

The present invention is concerned with apparatus adapted to bend material such as wood and trated an exemplification of the present machine in the manner following:

Figure 1 is a perspective'i'flew of lthe machine A in its entirety; Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the work after bending has been performed;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section' takenorrA line 3-3 Y.

of Fig. 1;.

Fig. 4 is a `similar view showingthe-dies 'ad-` vanced into work engaging position;

Fig..`5 is a fragmentary vertical section of one end of the male die, showing thesupport therefor;

Fig. 6 is a View in perspective of the-heater elements which may be associated with the male Y die; l v p r Fig. 7 which is a View similar to Fig. `3 shows `a modified construction of the female dieufor forming a bend of more than 90;

Fig. 8 which is asimilar View shows 'a further modified form of die for bending material over the roundededge ofma block;` g Fig. 9 which is a similar view shows a die for bending material in conformity withan arched base; and y A i Fig. l0 is a vertical section through a bending machine which is modified for duplex operation.

The present" apparatus may comprisea base B from which rises a pair of spaced'supports l5 forming guides upon which a head H is slidingly 40 mounted. The head is supported by` multiple rods I6 each entering one end ofa vertical'cylin- `der l'l forming part of a. piston mechanism adapt- 'ed to be operatedby fluid under pressure. These cylinders which are mounted on the base are i-nterconnectedby a pipe 'i3 with an interposed T-tting I9 with which is connected a pipe 20 'leading to a two-Way throttle valve 2l having a pedal control 22.v From this same valve is ex- 'te'nded a'second pipe 23 leading to `a T-fitting 24 which is 4interposed iin a second pipe `2li interconnecting the several 'cylinders here shown as two in number. By operation ofthe valve fluid pressure is simultaneously admitted into or released 'from the two 'cylinders whereby their fro'ds `are .raised for lowered 'in 'unison toloperate the headw Leadreceive engagement from? one end of a cylindrical '20 ing fromvthe control valve is a pipe 26, with an interposedv speed regulatingvalve 2l. connecting n with a suitable fluid pressure source (not shown).

Mounted upon the head is a block 39 which supl ports a `:female die 3l whereinis tted a caul 92. 5 Adjacent this die is a rack 35 hinged thereto as at 36 adapted to swing upwardlyfrom a horizontal position to support 'thereon the work W whichis to` be operated upon. The rack is provided with y a rail 31 tting into and `against a stop 38 in the I0 die whereby to support 4the rack normally in a horizontal position. A stop 39 is also carried by the rack against which the work may berestedv for accurate positioning over the die. l Mounted at the top of each suppcrtis a cham- 15 bered fitting lll having a circular opening facing the opposite fitting. "Each opening may be internally threaded to receive a mounting ring 'll whose inner surface, as shown, is also threaded to l.

`from end-to end accommodates within itself a heating `element which may beof the kind shown b "in Fig. (i,` comprising two spaced insulating disks "23 l5 supporting therebetween a pair `fofbars 4llt in angular relation,v each barcarrying a resistance element so *that when connected` to a"`source ofi electrical energy ample heatiwill he given okto raise the temperature of the male die. bars are located.v relatively close to the lowerportion of this die rwhere engagement is made `with the work, and in consequence the heat which isv required in the bending operation is delivered at the point where most needed. l As shown' best in $3 Fig. 1, a lead fl'l extends to Ia switch box i8 on the outsideof one tting fifi, and thence into the male die to connect' with the'heating elements `to supply electrical energy thereto.

The description lup `to this point has particular um referencelrto the construction illustrated in Figs. 1. 6\inclusive. In operation, pressure is rstvre leased `from the two cylinders permitting the head to descend. The work:r to be bent is then positioned in the clearance betwen the male y.and

female dies (see Fig. 3'), the treadle valve is then actuated to admit iiuid to the cylinders.' and the vlhead. H is thereuponadvanced upwardly. iii-this `movement thecaul-facedfemale die is pressed against the underside of the work which, in consem Hquence, is bent around` the male die as a `forni` aidin uplifting the vextended portion of the work m;

which is not subjected to pressure. It will be noted that the work is engaged on the one side by the male die and on the other by the caul which is seated in the female die. It is bent to its final shape while undergoing both heat and pressure which is continued for a brief interval y sucient to assure permanency to the bend. It

is desirable that the regulating valve 21 be so adjusted that the operating stroke of the cylinder mechanisms may be perfectly controlled as to speed, otherwise the work may be subjected to an impact which will be detrimental to the bend which is desired.

As shown in Fig. 4, the co-operating dies will produce in one operation a bend of approximate-- hinged together so as to swing apart, as shown by dotted lines. The die part 51h is Asupported on the head H so as to advance upwardly therewith; thel die part 5Ia on the other hand is carried by the other die part, and tends to swing away therefrom to restagainst the head H except when engaged by a' cam surface 53 which is encountered in its movement toward the male die. At the completion of this movement the two die parts Ela and Elb are completely closed so that the space therebetween defines a concave form having a continuous circular contour of about 180i. Initially the work is rested upon the female vdie part 5l", as shown by dotted lines, but in response to pressure resulting from engagement with the male die, the work is bent and shifted around to its final position, concurrently with closing of the female die partla, all as indicated by full lines in Fig. 7.

Another example of bending that may be advantageously yperformed with the present device is indicated in Fig. 8 where I have shown upon the head I-I a block 55 of wood or the like having a convex rounded edge 5B. The work W is placed over the block, with an intervening layer of glue, if desired, to receive pressure from a die 51 against which the work is upwardly advanced in response to movement of the .head H. `The die, as shown, is concavely rounded olf at 58 in conformity with the curved edge of the board so as to bend the work therearound and press the same tightly thereagainst.

A further example of use to which the present machine may be put is suggested in Fig. 9 where I have shown the head I-I as supporting a die block 6B having a bowed contour 6i furnishing a seat for a board (52` which is bowed, or to be` bowed, in conformity therewith. The

v work W may be in the vformof a thin strip which is to be applied to the convex surface of the board. For this purpose the die (i3y like the die 51, in Fig. 8,.'may be heated by suitable heating means common in the art, is provided with a concave surface against which the strip is seat- `ed in response to upward movement of the head H which carries with it the block S2, heat and as suggested in Fig. 10, two or more bending operations, each upon a separate work, may be performed simultaneously. This is accomplished by utilizing multiple cylinders I1' connected with a movable head H whereon is supported a female die 65 adapted to co-operate with a male die 65 thereabove. In this case, however, the male die is suspended from an upper head H over which is afxed a female die 51 adapted to co-operate with an upper male die 68 therefor having a fixed mounting between spaced supports one of which is shown at 69. Suitable stops 10 are provided for sustaining the upper head H with its associated female die 61 and male die E6 at a point of minimum elevation which is sufficient to maintain a clearance between this male die and the female die 65 therebelow when pressure is released from the cylinder mechanism. A similar clearance is preserved between the upper female die 61 and the co-operating male die 58 thereabove when the upper head H is sustained by the stops 10 at a point of minimum elevation. Upon the racks 1l I may position separate pieces of work W each adapted to be engaged by the proximate pair of dies in response to upward movement of the lower head H which transmits movement through the dies thereabove to the upper head I-I, which in turn advances the upper female die 61 against the top male die 68 whose position is xed. The result is a simultaneous bending operation performed upon each piece of work that is positioned between the cooperating dies. It will be found that this duplex type of machine has advantages for certain work, in that it increases the output for a given unit of time.

Thel present mechanism is advantageous in that it is simple, inexpensive, compact, and easily operated. Removal of the dies and substitution of others may be readily accomplished whenever desired. If the male die is to be of different diameter, then a new mounting ring of appropriate size will be used.

I claim:

1. In a bending machine the combination of a base, supports extended upwardly from the base, a head slidably mounted on the supports, a die member xedly mounted upon the supports above the head, a co-operating die member rigidly carried by the head and movable therewith toward and from the fixed die member, means for heating one die member, said cooperating die member including a relatively movable work supporting rack hingedly mounted on one side thereof so as to form a continuation of said cooperating die when following bending movement of workk which is positioned between the die members, and fluid-operated cylinder mechanism mounted on the base in connection with the head adapted to raise and lower the latter.

2. In a bending machine the combination of a base, supporting means extended upwardly from the base, a head slidably mounted on the supporting means adapted for vertical movement thereupon, a die above the head mounted xedly upon the supporting means, a second die cooperating therewith carried by therhead, means for heating one of the dies, and means laterally associated with the second die for supporting and engaging the work which is positioned between the two dies and adapted to follow the movement of the work during bending under pressures exerted thereon by the dies.

3. In a bending machine the combination of a base, supports extended upwardly from the base,

a fixed die member extended between the supi ports, a (zo-operating die member rigidly carried by the supports and slidable therewith toward and from the xed die member, another pair yof co-operating die members below those just` named each having a sliding mounting between the supports, relatively movable members hinged to each slidablyy movable die for positioning Work between each pair of co-operating dies, saidA iirst die adapted for co-operation therewith to bend work which is positioned therebetween,`

the movable die comprising two parts one hinged to the other and free to swing relative thereto,

a head slidably carried between the two supports and furnishing a mounting for one of the .twov

4raised by said cooperating member into engageparts of the movable die, means for raisingand lowering the head whereby the movable die `in its entirety is advanced toward and from the fixed die, and other meansfor forcing the free swinging die part toward the other as the head is advanced toward the xed die.

5. In a bending machine the combination of a base, supporting guides extending vertically from said base, a fixed member havinga lower die face extending horizontally between said guides, a member movable toward and from the fixed member on said guides and adapted to support andv carry thereon the work to be bent over said lower die face, the movable vmember comprising two4 parts one a rigid die part xed thereon and the other a work engaging part hinged to the fixed `part for swinging movement relative thereto. y y

6. In a bending machine a pair of vertical its guides, a xed die member extending between l said guides adjacent the upper ends thereof, a

cooperating member slidably mounted on said part fixed thereto and a part hinged to one side of the rigid die part for relative vertical swing,- ing movement whereby in one position of `said relatively swinging part it will be caused to form a continuation ofsaid rigid die part in co-operating therewith tosupport and embrace work ment with said fixed die member.

ORVILLE R. OWENS. 

